Commanders shut down QB Jayden Daniels for rest of season
The Washington Commanders have decided to shut down quarterback Jayden Daniels for the rest of the season.
Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision to reporters on Monday, calling it "part medical, part team." With Washington out of the playoff picture, backup Marcus Mariota is scheduled to start the final three games of the season, including a Christmas matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Daniels initially dislocated the elbow on his non-throwing arm late in a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. He missed three games, then returned to play against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14. Daniels aggravated the injury against the Vikings when he landed on his elbow while being tackled. He has not played since.
Mariota completed the 31-0 loss to the Vikings, then started in Sunday's 29-21 win over the New York Giants. Washington is 4-10 and has been eliminated from the playoffs. The Commanders have two games remaining against the Philadelphia Eagles in Weeks 16 and 18 in addition to the Christmas matchup against the Cowboys.
Monday's announcement officially concludes a disappointing second season for Daniels, who won Rookie of the Year in 2024 with what many consider the greatest season for a rookie quarterback in NFL history. A dynamic passer and runner, Daniels completed 69% of his passes as a rookie for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He added 891 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground.
He led the Commanders to a 12-5 record and their first playoff appearance since the 2020 season. Once there, he led the Commanders to their first two playoff wins since the 2005 season as the Commanders advanced to the NFC championship game.
Injuries and regression plagued Daniels' second season. He finishes the 2025 campaign having completed 60.6% of his passes for 1,262 yards with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in seven starts, two of which were cut short by injury. He rushed for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns as his average yards per carry dropped from 6 in 2024 to 4.8 in 2025.
The Commanders, meanwhile, lost eight straight games following a 3-2 start before Sunday's win over the Giants. For Daniels, it's time to put his 2025 season to bed and turn the page to 2026, where he and the Commanders will hope to harness his tremendous talent again in the hopes of returning to playoff contention.